Modern athletic shoes have evolved into highly specialized sporting equipment. The shoe upper can be made of natural or man-made material, but in either case, the upper must be adapted to fit snugly against the users foot for a proper fit. Some athletic shoes have an upper portion that also encloses at least a portion of the user's ankle in an effort to support the ankle during the athletic activity. The upper portion is also the most visible part of the shoe, and it often functions as part of the user's uniform.
The sole of the shoe is usually made of a resilient, shock absorbing material. The bottom surface of the sole is manufactured with specialized features that provide optimum traction for a particular sport or climate conditions. Thus, it is important that the bottom portion of the sole remain fully exposed.
Because modem athletic shoes are highly specialized, they are also expensive, so athletes frequently practice in the same shoes they wear during competition. The athletes may try to clean the shoes before the competition, but soil and grass stains are difficult to remove. Washing machines have not been found to be effective in cleaning shoes. Thus, the athletes, who generally have uniforms worn only during competition, must wear their stained shoes during competition. In some sports, and in particular high school football, the athletes use colored tape to improve the appearance of their shoes and to coordinate the shoe color with their uniform. Some athletes use white tape to cover their shoe, and then paint the tape to achieve the desired color. However, the repeated application of tape can damage the shoe. The tape may interfere with traction if it covers the bottom of the sole, and it makes access to the wear's ankle difficult in case of injury.
In an effort to protect athletic shoes, shoe covers have been developed that substantially cover the shoe upper portion. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,895 and 5,144,759 disclose shoe covers for use on athletic shoes to prevent the underlying shoe from getting wet during poor weather. However, athletic shoes eventually become soiled and stained with repeated use, even in dry conditions. In addition, some shoe covers partially enclose part of the bottom surface of the sole, so the covers are not suited for use on athletic shoes.
Many athletic shoes attempt to provide some ankle support. However, in rigorous activities such as football, additional support is often needed to prevent ankle injury. Prior ankle supports were disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,922,630 and 5,016,623. The prior art ankle supports generally attach to the shoe or to a sock-like member that is worn by the user to ensure proper placement of the ankle supporting straps and to maintain the positions of the straps during use. However, if the ankle support is permanently attached to the shoe, it detracts from the appearance of the shoe and must be used each time the user wears the shoe. Ankle supporting devices that include a sock-like member to be worn inside the user's shoe are uncomfortable and affect the fit of the shoe.